


Fate is a Funny Thing

by RedHoodsDoll



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-03
Updated: 2020-02-19
Packaged: 2020-07-29 20:56:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20088649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedHoodsDoll/pseuds/RedHoodsDoll
Summary: What Marinette had not anticipated was falling in love. She expected a lot of things in life, but had given up love and moved on being happy just to be cared for by the family she had carved out for herself, but now? Now her head spun from the whirlwind life decided to throw at her.





	1. Chapter 1

Marinette was used to showing up late. Every day of high school she had been late, most of her university studies had been online so that she could avoid it, but now? She worked her ass off so that she could make sure she was at least on time every day for work at Gabriel. Today was the first time she would be late and have no Akuma attack to blame for her tardiness. She cursed Chat Noir as she ran in her heeled boots that clicked off the sidewalks. 

She burst through the doors of her work and slid into the elevator as the doors closed. She dropped the many tubes that held her designs and took the coffee her friend held out for her. “Only 30 seconds late, I’m impressed.” Felix commented.

”Yeah, me too. Though, I got off at the right stop today so I guess I can’t be too stunned.” Marinette countered. 

“That certainly helps. Especially good that I’m the only one in this elevator. Put yourself together. We are about to get off on the designer floor where my uncle will be meeting with you to discuss your new role as lead designer of the female department.” Marinette rolled her eyes. When she had started as an intern at Gabriel, Felix had swooped in and claimed her to be his mentee. Ever since then, they had become close, even more so when Felix married Marinette’s cousin Bridgette. 

Marinette fixed her hair and straightened the pleats in her braid. She wiped the makeup that had smeared under her eyes and adjusted her scarf. “Better?”

”Were you in a fight?” Felix asked as he grabbed her chin and turned her head so that he could get a better look at her jaw line. “Oh.”

Marinette jerked back and snatched her tubes back up so that she was ready to sprint out of there as fast as possible. “Just whatever you do, don’t tell Bridgette. I need to talk to her about that myself.”

”You’re a grown woman Marinette, it’s none of my business if you sleep with someone or not.” Felix put his hands up in request of a surrender. 

She pointed at him as she exited the elevator once it alerted her they were on her floor. “Ah, Marinette, follow me.” Gabriel Agreste said as he snapped at someone to come and take her designs to her desk. He guided her to the office at the back of the room where the old lead designer had stayed until they had a psychiatric break and were forced out of the company and placed on disability leave. “Have a seat, we need to talk.”

”Of course Monsieur Agreste. I surely look forward to my new role in this company.” Marinette beamed as she fiddled with the pen she held between her fingers. 

“I was also looking forward, but there has been a mishap.”

”Oh?” Marinette struggled out. She swallowed the feeling of anxiety that had crawled it’s way up her throat. 

“It seems as the replacement that I had picked for general lead design received another offer, one that was, per their words, less likely to land them in a mental asylum screaming until they died.” Gabriel said as he folded his hands in front of him. 

“Oh.” Marinette blinked a few times. “So what is the mishap?”

”I believe this is actually good fortune for you. I have decided to send you to be my general lead designed over Anthony from men’s design. He should never speak to women let alone overlook their designs, but you’re more flexible and practical. All I need is for you to sign the new contract so that I can place you in the position. What do you say?” He said as he stared her down. 

“Yes! I’d be crazy to say no to that.” Marinette kept her voice even but she knew it still came out with a squeal at the end. 

“Very well. I applaud your hard work, Nathalie will be by shortly to assist you in the paperwork.” He stood to leave, but stopped and turned towards her. “And do check out my total concealer that we keep on hand for the models. It would be a shame if you received this promotion and someone thought you got it in an inappropriate matter.”

Marinette slapped her hand over her neck. “Yes sir!” There was no stopping the squeak this time. She was as red as she had been last night when she had received those marks.

Ladybug had defeated the Akuma and fallen onto a roof. Her miraculous was beeping rapidly and she was going to lose her transformation soon. Chat Noir snatched her off the pavement and threw her into a closet on top of the building, slamming the door behind them. “Don’t look!” She pleaded as the transformation broke. 

The light from her turning back into Marinette was vibrant and gave enough light in the small room for Chat Noir to see his lady without her mask. _Marinette_. He didn’t dare to speak, afraid of what would come out of his mouth.

”Chat?” 

“I’m here, Ladybug.”

Marinette could see his green eyes glowing in the dark. She wasn’t sure if he could see her or not. She knew that he could see in the dark but it was darker than night in here. “Can you?”

”No, your secret is safe.” He spit out the lie faster than he could stop himself. This was not the time or place for trying to apologize to an exhausted and scared Ladybug that he knew her secret identity. 

Marinette let out a sigh and opened her eyes to find that one of her lesser abilities had stuck around. As the years had passed, she had found more of the stuff that she did in the suit leaked into her real life. But right now she was able to see something that she hadn’t seen before. The line between her and Chat Noir was not the usual Orange and Green that meant friend and partner to her. Those tones were almost invisible due to the pulsing red line that ran from her heart to his. She had only seen that between couples who truly cared about each other, like her parents and Nino and Alya. Never before had a red line ever been attached to her. 

“What the hell?” Marinette whispered as she reached out and touched the line. When she was Ladybug, everything except these lines were gray. She didn’t see in color when she was a superhero. The lines each had a special meaning that she had been trying to figure out, but she wasn’t sure on the exact meanings and Master Fu was unaware of any other Ladybugs who had this power. Tikki shrugged any time that Marinette had tried to consult her on this matter. 

“What’s wrong?” Chat Noir reached out and touched her shoulder. Her bare shoulder. She had worn a tank top in the warm summer weather and now she felt exposed. 

“I, uh, hang on. “ Marinette was trying to process. Sure she had gotten stronger as Marinette and more confident and could out run any of the men in her life, but actual superpowers out of the suit was terrifying, especially when they changed how she looked at things. Like how the red lit up her partners face in the most alluring light, showing off his broad shoulders and high cheek bones. And those eyes. They shone through the dark and seemed to see her soul some days. Like right now, she felt bare in front of him. “Chat?” She whispered. 

The tone to her words felt like fire in his heart. It spread across him and they both took a step forward. “My lady?”

Marinette felt his hand slip down her shoulder and onto her lower back. He looked at her, watching her reaction, seeing if she was going to hit him or not. She grabbed his face and yanked him down to her level, pressing her lips tenderly against his. This wasn’t like their kisses they had shared before. This was more gentle and telling. This was less along the line of I’m doing this to save you, and more like I’m doing this because I need you.

Chat’s lips left hers momentarily and she regained the brain power to breathe. “Minou?”

”I don’t want to do anything you don’t want, Ladybug.” Her partner said. Her cheeks flared up, she didn’t know what had come over her. Chat was in front of her while she was unmasked, but he still knew she was Ladybug. It was like he was seeing her for her and she wanted nothing more than to kiss him. 

“And what if I do want you to do something?” She said as she dragged a finger across his cheek and down his neck, pulling a strangled moan out of his throats and through gritted teeth. This hadn't been a thought she had entertained in a long time.

“What would that be?” He panted as she ran her other hand into his hair while she stroked the bell against the base of his throat.

“Me?” Under different circumstances she would have never found herself in this situation. Pleading her partner to take her there and then? She should have been afraid that another love Akuma was out and had already threw her spell over them. But this felt right. Everything about this situation screamed at her that it was fated to happen this way.

Chat Noir grabbed her wrists, “Ladybug, are you sure?”

She took a deep breath. Was she sure? Did she know that she truly wanted this? She had thought about situations like this before, but she had never thought that she would be begging her partner to take her there and then. Sure there had been day dreams, but never anything she had let herself seriously entertain. “As sure as I am about being Ladybug.” She tucked her lip between her teeth and bit it.

“And I thought my lines were cheesy.” Was all Chat said before letting go of her wrists and pulling her face to his.

“Marinette?” Someone called her name and she was pulled from her dream about their rooftop rendezvous from the night before.

She glanced over to see a young man standing in the doorway. “Hi, I’m Gregory. Gabriel Agreste assigned me to be your assistant.”

Marinette sighed gently. “Hi Gregory. I’m Marinette. Want to help me move my stuff from my desk to my new office?” She gestured to the bare white room that looked more like a hospital room than a designers office. 

“I’m on it!”

And like that she was back on track. She ran between meetings and looked over designs left and right. The Fall line had to be finalized by next week and she was on a hell of a deadline. And the week flew by faster than she would have ever expected since she dealt with at least one Akuma a day.

”Good morning.” Felix greeted Marinette as she landed in the elevator, this time with Gregory in tow carrying all of her designs. They had pulled an all nighter over coffee finalizing the designs for the show. Felix handed her a coffee and she took it in the hand that wasn’t already holding a half empty cup. “Are you ready for the presentation?”

”If I’m not ready, I’m going to fight the devil himself.” Marinette frowned as she finished up her first cup and tossed into the trash can in the corner that was already overflowing with cups. 

“Sounds more like a task for Chat Noir and Ladybug than you Marinette.” And like that, her busy life came crashing at her feet. She felt hot around the collar before looking up at the male who had entered the elevator. 

“Is that so, Adrien?” She connected him with a look that shook his soul through his shoes and out of his body. It was a challenge. Either he stood his ground or he turned tail and ran. But after the night of feeling her smooth flesh under him, he wasn’t sure that he could even choose to run. 

That look took him back to the feeling of her lips. The feeling of her fingers threading through his hair and pulling back enough that he would hiss, but not so much that it actually hurt. How she had grabbed ahold of him and not let go. And the way she was challenging him right now, in the elevator with her assistant and his cousin, he was half tempted to make her realize just who she had chose to make love to that night. But he brought himself back down to earth and fixed his eyes on her lips. “Well, in my experience, they defeat evil, and not that you couldn’t, but they are the professionals.”

The flash in her eyes that went from anger to something akin to the fear he had seen when she had lost her transformation a week ago. He felt the doors close behind him and suddenly he returned to the idea of running. He had took the wrong step, or something. Whatever it was though, it surprised him when she smiled. 

“If only they were here, guess I’lll have to face your father myself.” Gregory spluttered at her words and Felix doubled over in laughter at her horrible joke. Adrien Agreste was standing in front of her and no longer was it a solid green and pink line. There was a red tint to the line that connected them. She didn’t know where it had come from, but she knew she was happy it was there, especially since it was on his end and not hers. Adrien Agreste had finally figured out what he was missing out on. 

He blinked once and chuckled. “Well you will be facing him with me at your side, my lady.” He winked at her and watched the color burn at her cheeks and flood her neck. He knew that the marks he had left were still lingering, but could tell the concealer was working its magic to the best of its abilities. 

“Is that so?” She was practically saying through her teeth to keep her tone even. Adrien had fallen out as being her crush before they had even graduated. When he distanced himself from her after she had exposed Lila for being the biggest liar in history and rejected his idea of going the high road. Yet here he was, daring to compare himself to being the Chat Noir to her Ladybug. She felt ready to prove to him that cats weren’t the only ones with claws, but she checked her anger and relaxed. 

“Of course, I’m the face of the company, of course you and I are going to start working very closely.”

”Peachy,” Marinette nodded. Felix placed his hand on her shoulder and Marinette melted back into a regular stance instead of the defensive one she had picked up. “I look forward to you wearing my designs like you used to.”

”My pleasure.” Adrien smirked back at her. He had won this little dance off, but winning the war seemed impossible when going up against Marinette Dupain-Cheng who also happened to be Ladybug. 


	2. Chapter 2

It was the day of the big reveal of the Fall line. It was so hot outside that Marinette thought she was going to melt. Gregory was making her an iced coffee, but she had snagged an energy drink from one of the models who thought Marinette looked miserable. And she felt miserable. Usually she preferred the heat to the cold since she was always cold in the winter, but something was different for her right now. 

Adrien walked back into the back and she quickly made sure the wardrobe team was on him. She lifted the drink to her mouth for her second sip, but she couldn’t even stand the smell of it. It was along the lines of smelling something filled with chemicals and sour. She set it down before she lost her stomach. “You okay?” Adrien mouthed as she fanned herself. 

“Do your job,” She mouthed back as she wandered off to find Nathalie. She needed to speak with Gabriel in regards to the finale. 

Nathalie was standing near the curtain, allowing Gabriel to monitor the coming and going of the models. “Good work, Miss Dupain-Cheng. This is one of the best fashion debuts we have had thanks to your ability to adapt.”

”Thank you, sir. We have everything set up how you wanted for the finale. It should go off without any issues. I even made sure the models are meditating between sets so that there is a decreased chance of an Akuma.” Marinette took a deep breath pulled her fan from her smock pocket so that she could fan herself. 

“How, thoughtful.” Gabriel did not sound pleased, but it may just have been because Marinette had gone off target with the idea. 

“Are you alright?” Nathalie asked, placing her her hand on Marinette’s shoulder. 

She nodded. “Oh yeah, probably just hot from the weather and pressure, you know? I’ll just make sure to get a good nights sleep tonight to get myself back in shape.”

The energy drink long since abandoned, Marinette found herself over near Felix. The heat was almost unbearable and she leaned on him to support her tired head. “Careful ‘Nette. Don’t let anyone catch you falling asleep on your feet.”

”Sorry, I haven’t been able to sleep well lately. Seems like every time I feel so tired that I have to sleep I end up not being able to get comfortable enough.” Marinette sighed. 

“Mari?” Someone called her name.

”Thank you Gregory, I’ll make sure she drinks it. I do believe we have a model who needs a bra strap fixed, could you handle that?” Felix pressed a cold plastic mug into Marinette’s hands. “Drink up, the day won’t be too much longer. This show has taken up the last 2 months of your life, I can’t blame you for feeling exhausted. Once today’s a wrap, take a day off and go see Bridgette or Alya or Chloe. Have a girls day.”

”Have I ever told you how smart you are?” Marinette said as she raised her coffee to her lips. She sipped at it, but this too tasted wrong to her. She couldn’t even place why she suddenly disliked the taste of things that had gotten her through all of college and the beginning of her career. Her eyes traced the line of blue that connected her and Felix.

The past 2 months had suddenly brought that ability out of the shell it had been hiding in. She could see lines between almost everyone. It mostly was the people she knew unless Marinette focused on others. Right now, almost every model had pink and yellow lines connecting them along with some envious green tinges, but the other green tones were friendlier.

And then her eyes were drawn to the line connecting her to Adrien. From her side it was orange and pink with a blue tinge, but on Adrien’s end of it, the line was a a pulsating red and blue and pink. It was constantly changing between the different colors. Currently the most she could read from it was his concern and the care he held for her. Her attention was pulled away from the line and to his eyes were the emotions were mirrored as he stared at her. He blinked slowly at her, much like a cat would to their family.

Marinette tipped back the coffee and ignored the way the ice chilled her lip as she downed the entire cup and threw it in the trash. She turned on her heel and went to help the model who was struggling to escape her design even with 3 assistants bustling around her.

***

After the show, she found herself lounging on the rooftops of Paris, near her meeting point with Chat Noir. She was beyond exhausted but she wanted to see him. He was not one to disappoint either as he landed and rolled next to her before resting his chin on her shoulder. “My lady, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

”Hey Minou,” She whispered as she threaded her finger through his hair, rubbing her thumb against his ears.

”You seem tired. How did your project go today?” They had settled down with not telling each other about anything in their lives, but they made sure it was generic. 

“It was a booming success. My boss actually complimented me for once. I believe their exact words were that the industry is lucky to have someone as talented and intelligent as myself. I heard the company stock has gone up since I took my promotion.” Marinette felt the weight melting off her shoulders as Chat purred into her neck. His nose ran along her skin and drew the air from her lungs. She dragged her fingers along the bright red line that ran between them. It was solid, screaming of their connection since that fateful night. 

Chat smiled against her suit. “It’s well deserved praise, I’m sure.” 

“Where are we going this weekend?” Ladybug’s eyelashes laid across her mask as she glanced at him.

Chat chuckled. “Ah, that’s the real reason why you’re out here this evening, You just want to know when you can get me back in bed.” He teased her.

”You already said that I look tired, and we both know that I sleep better with you.” She felt the giggle slip from her lips.

Chat hummed as his fangs caught her skin forcing a gasp from his lady. “I find that hard to believe seeing as how little sleep we get on our weekends. Alas, I was thinking this weekend you can come to my apartment?”

”Sounds purr-fect.” Ladybug knew better than to question the fact that his apartment was more accommodating than hers. He lived alone and his bed definitely fit the two of them more comfortably. Marinette had made them masks to keep their identities a secret when they spent weekends together, and so far there hadn’t been any issues besides Alya almost walking in when she was supposed to be at Nino’s for the whole weekend. Chat had jumped and landed on the shelf in her closet, leaving her to explain to Alya why she was not wearing clothes and wearing a Ladybug mask. She just felt blessed that she hadn’t used her name - instead opting to call her babe.

He groaned. “Using my puns against me? That has to be some form of cruelty.”

”Maybe it’s animal cruelty, Chaton.” She winked. He leaped on top of her and his tail whipped out behind him.

The look in her eyes made her grin. “Best wait until Friday night, I didn’t bring a backup mask.”

”Who said you were going to need one?”

The bruises she was going to have to cover in the morning made her happy that she at least didn’t have to go to work.


	3. Chapter 3

It had been 3 months since that fateful night. Weekends spent together, usually in Chat's apartment. Marinette had become comfortable in the groove of her new life. She had started to log the colors of lines and how she had felt when she saw them. She began to notice that they fluctuated quite often, but one stayed the same. The solid red line that connected her and Chat Noir. She had determined that one to be love, but couldn't understand why after all these years it connected Adrien to her in such a way. 

Pink was anything from romantic to just general happy bonds. Blue was deep trust, something akin to a familial bond which explained her tie to Felix and Bridgette. Green could either be mutual appreciation or envy depending on the tone. Purple was highly dislike or even hate. She had figured that one out when she saw Hawkmoth again. Orange was a confusing one. Sometimes she saw it when she felt wronged or hurt but other times it just appeared on a bond line for no valid reason. Yellow was for friends. Black meant there was no founded connection. White was rare and she hadn't figured it out yet. The only real one she knew was red. The rest were her best guesses.

So there she laid, on the couch in Bridgette's office. She had joined the accounting department of _Gabriel _and shot up to be the lead accountant quickly once everyone realized how good she was at it. Marinette was just thankful that she had a couch in her private office where she could lay. She had been exhausted this week even with the reduced number of akumas. They were currently preparing for a new line or a show so she felt like laying down and designing while catching up with her cousin was worth while.

"Are you ever going to fess up about who had been making you were so much concealer?" Bridgette asked after the silence had stretched too long.

Marinette groaned and lowered her tablet down to her face. "Bridge, why did you have to ask it like that?"

"Would you prefer I ask who you've been banging? Who has been itching your scratch? Leaving those bite marks?" Bridgette laughed at Marinette's ever blushing cheeks. "I've got plenty of worse ones if you'd like."

"No, no, no. Just no. I'm good. And to be honest, I'm not sure if I'm allowed to tell you."

"Girl, as long as it's not my husband and not our boss, like it matters." Marinette gagged at the idea of having sex with either of them. "I'll take that as confirmation it is not. So fess up. Who's been warming your bed?"

"Well to start, I've been warming his because no one is allowed to know." Marinette shrugged and rubbed at her aching chest. It had been bugging her lately and she was starting to debate on if going bra-less would be a better idea.

"What, is it Adrien?"

"Hell no. That crush left the building so many years ago Bridgette."

Her cousin huffed. "The only other person that you would possibly have to keep a secret from me would be Chat Noir."

Marinette froze before her brain restarted. "What, no, why? That would be ridiculous. Ha, ha?" 

"You're kidding me. Chat Noir? Damn Mari, how did you manage that?" Bridgette had dropped her pen and was focused in on her cousin.

"You did hear me say no, right?" Marinette offered.

Bridgette got out of her chair and walked until she was standing right in front of Marinette. "Lie to my face again and I'll tell your mother."

"Jesus Bridge, okay, I may or may not be seeing Chat."

"Now tell me how? The only liable way is if he rescued you recently, or..." Her cousins face drained of color. "Unless you lied to me a really long time ago and I was too stupid to see the truth?"

"Um, what?" Marinette's voice reached an octave higher and she thought the room felt hot and her clothes were too tight again.

Bridgette swept the hair away from Marinette's face and sucked in a breath as her eyes found the round dark earrings. "Okay," that was all she said.

"Okay?"

Bridgette shook her head. "I always thought you were the best person in the world, but damn Mari. I guess I should give you a thank you since you're the only reason Felix and I are alive and still together."

"What are you talking about?"

"Do you need me to spell it out? I know L-A-D-Y-B-" Marinette cut her off.

"Don't finish that sentence."

Bridgette nodded. "Okay."

They sat in silence for a long time, tears running down both their cheeks. "Well, if anyone had to know, I'm glad it's you."

"Me too."

"Me three." Adrien whispered to himself as he leaned against the door outside. He had been sent to find Marinette but had heard the conversation and decided not to barge in. He couldn't help listening in, his powers having leaked into his regular life - bad luck and all.

A moment passed before he raised his hand and knocked on the door, alerting the women of his presence. "Come in." Bridgette called after a moment.

He opened the door and smiled. "Hey ladies, just here to grab Marinette for the photoshoot."

"I totally forgot. We'll talk later, okay?" Marinette's face curled in discomfort as she lifted herself off the couch.

"Of course babes. You know I'm always here for you."

Marinette and Adrien walked down the hall towards the elevator in silence. "Everything okay?" Adrien asked. "You seem different lately Marinette."

She was about to answer as bile rose in her throat. She tried to swallow it back but then realized there was no stopping it. She found herself pushing open the door to the bathroom they were passing and knelt down - spilling the contents of her stomach into the toilet. "Mari!" Adrien squeaked in surprise.

She groaned rested her head against the cool tiled wall. "To answer your question, no, I feel like crap, but give it a minute and it'll go away."

"You're sick, why did you come to work?" Adrien whispered as he shut the door and sat next to her. He managed to catch all of her hair and keep it back as she leaned back over the bowl to throw up again. When she was done, he handed her some tissues to wipe her mouth clean.

"Like I said, I feel better once I've thrown up. It happens when I have a headache and those have been happening almost daily." Marinette shrugged. 

Adrien wet down a paper towel and wiped her forehead that had a sheen to it, "Are you sure that's all?"

"Yeah. This happens a lot when I'm about to," She broke off. Her brow furrowed and she stopped to think.

"When you're about to what?" He asked as he threw the paper towel in the trash. Marinette pulled her phone from her pocket and opened her specific calendar app. And there is was in big red letters.

"Oh fuck me," Marinette breathed out.

"Mari?"

The phone clattered from her hand and tears renewed in her eyes. There was no way. This couldn't happen. Not to her. Not now. What was she going to do? 

Adrien tried calling her names a few times, but she was unresponsive. He picked her phone up off the ground and his stomach dropped into his feet. "You're late?"

"Uh huh." She muttered out. "9 weeks late."

"That could be because of stress."

"Adrien, I just threw up in the toilet. My tits hurt. I have headaches. I'm late, by a lot." Marinette rationalized it in her head. There wasn't a shadow of a doubt in her mind what that meant.

"Do you know?"

"What?" Marinette glared up at him. "Do you think I wouldn't know who the father is?"

"Not at all." Adrien was quick to realize his mistake.

Marinette's head dropped. "Yeah, I know, but also I don't at the same time."

Adrien could hear his heart thundering in his ears. "Yeah?"

"I know who he is, but I also don't. It's kind of complicated and I don't know how I'm going to tell him." Marinette grabbed her head in her hands.

Adrien touched her shoulder and then pulled her into his side. "Hey, I'm here. I'll help you."

Marinette glanced up at him. "Why?"

"Because you always help me?"

"I don't think you could help me with this Adrien."

Adrien paused. "How complicated is this situation?"

"Very."

"Can you uncomplicate it so that I can help?"

Marinette rolled her eyes. "Again, why?"

Adrien bit his lip. "Humor me."

"Fuck it." Marinette sighed. "You'll probably find out from Felix since Bridgette knows now. I'm seeing Chat Noir."

And there was the breath leaving his lungs. His thoughts confirmed. Marinette was saying she was pregnant and now she was saying she was only seeing him. Sitting there on the bathroom floor, Adrien felt choked up. "Wow."

"Yeah. So how am I supposed to tell anyone who the father is when I don't know who the man behind the mask is?" Marinette sighed and leaned her head on Adrien's welcoming shoulder.

Adrien gulped. "What if I had a crazy idea?"

Marinette sighed. "How crazy?"

"You could always tell everyone it was mine? Would that be easier?" And there was the air being sucker punched out of Marinette's lungs. 

"What the fuck?"

"I'm serious. If that would help, I'm willing to do it Marinette."

"You realize that it would require everyone to think we've had sex."

Adrien laughed. "Could be worse."

"Your father would kill us."

"No he wouldn't. He loves you and has been begging me to settle down with someone."

Marinette gulped. "What about Chat?"

"Tell him the truth? I'm sure he'd understand if why you'd hide it from the public."

"I'll think about it Adrien. But right now, we have a photoshoot." Marinette slowly got back on her feet before washing her hands and rinsing her mouth.

"Nope. I'm canceling it. I'll tell them I'm taking you home since I found you sick in the bathroom."

"And what exactly are we going to do?" Marinette frowned.

Adrien grinned. "Well you probably should confirm your suspicions."

And that was how Marinette found herself in her small flat with Adrien Agreste and her staring at the 3 positive pregnancy tests. After his tentative congrats and her terrible joke with her saying thanks for being the public father, the only thought she could fathom was thank god after the Fall Line show she had dropped caffeine drinking since all of the drinks had turned her off.


	4. Chapter 4

"Adrien Agreste, either rub my shoulders and shut up or get the hell out of my office!" Marinette snapped as she worked on her tablet, revising one of the designers drafts. It had been a week since she discovered that she was pregnant and it seemed Adrien was intent on hovering over her at all times. 

He quickly placed his fingers on Marinette's shoulders and rubbed out the sore muscles causing her to drop her head and sigh. "Well this is a cozy scene." A chuckle caused Marinette to glance up and find Felix standing in her doorway.

"Hey Felix."

"Adrien." Her friend nodded at him before focusing on Marinette. He stepped inside the office and shut the door behind him. "Are you still under the weather Marinette?"

The concern was clear in his voice and she had to stop herself from scoffing. She was in one of her less kind moods currently, so instead of saying for the next 6 months she would be, she only said, "Only because of my own dumb choices."

"Hungover?"

"Fuck I wish." She groaned as Adrien dug into a particularly sensitive spot.

Felix's eyes flicked between his wife's cousin and his own cousin. "Stay out too late?"

"Not at all. I was in bed by 9 thanks to this onve." She said pointing to the blonde who released her shoulders and patted her back. "He's mother henning me like I'm fragile."

She buried her face into her hands and sighed. She knew Adrien was only trying to help, but it hadn't helped that this was weighing on her soul and she couldn't even talk to Chat since she hadn't had time to go out as Ladybug. "Did you lose a bet Adrien?"

"Nah, just watching out for her since she's been overworking herself again." He shrugged.

Felix's hum caught Marinette's attention. He was thinking, it was like she could hear that through the single hum. "Felix, whatever you're thinking, stop."

"I'm just trying to decide when you jumped from one famous blonde to the other, or if you did at all." She glared daggers at his face and debated on throwing her heel at him as Adrien coughed beside her after choking at Felix's words. "Just an observation."

"Observation my ass. Stop stirring the pot." Marinette said shaking her head as she focused back on the work in front of her.

Both boys let out a low whistle at Mari's heated words. "Sorry, I just," tears began forming in her eyes. 

"Woah, no no no, Mari, it's not that bad, it's okay." Adrien said grabbing her a handful of tissues.

Felix's eyes widened and he checked the lock on the door and stared at the two in front of him. "Don't lie to me, I'm only going to ask once Marinette. Whatever you say I will take as the truth."

"Okay," She nodded as she wiped her eyes.

"Are you pregnant?"

She just stared at Felix until he sighed and said it again. When she still didn't respond, he took her hands. "Marinette I won't tell Bridgette but you have to talk to me."

The blue line was lit up and yanked at her heart, especially when she saw the same color connect him and Adrien together. "I," She couldn't finish the sentence without sobbing. She furiously nodded and wiped her eyes with vigor that would leave her face dry and red. "Yeah."

"Oh," Felix had halfway hoped he had been wrong in his assumption. The trio sat in silence.

"I have work to do, guys." Marinette tried to pull herself together, but the look that both men gave her stunned her to silence.

"Marinette, is, well, who is the father?" Felix asked.

Marinette huffed and ran her hand through her hair. "Why do both Agreste men ask that as if I am an irresponsible hoe that can't keep track who I've slept with?"

"I'm sorry, but Bridge told me you were seeing Chat Noir and I walked in to find Adrien with him whipped and wrapped around your finger. What would you like me to believe." Felix threw his hands up. 

Adrien bit his lip as he looked between Marinette and Felix who were locked in a glaring contest. They were too similar in some aspects, specifically their stubbornness. "Am I allowed to-"

"No." Both of them snapped.

Instead of slipping out of the room, he continued to stand there awkwardly. "Well isn't this so much fun." He tried.

The thing that snapped the tense atmosphere was Marinette's office phone. "Hello."

She continued the stare down as she scribbled notes on her phone pad. "Yeah. Uh huh. I'll send him your way." She hung the phone in the cradle and ripped the note from the pad before passing it to Felix.

"I'm not leaving until you tell me. I deserve to know if my cousin knocked you up so I can kick his ass." Felix said as he took the note.

Marinette snickered. "You want to make your wife wait?"

"She'll wait if I tell her I have pressing matters involving you two."

"You wouldn't."

"Tell me then Mari."

"It's mine." Adrien blurted. He and Marinette hadn't talked about if she was going to tell everyone it was his or not, but he didn't like the stand off he was witnessing, especially since he knew better than to make Bridgette wait. His miraculous may have bad luck, but that woman could get into trouble if left alone too long.

"What?" Both blurted as Marinette stood up and gawked at Adrien. Sure he had offered, but she hadn't accepted and now she was about to lose her mind.

"Damn it guys." Felix groaned. "I owe Bridgette 20 dollars because of you two."

And with that he unlocked the door and ran out, most likely to tell his wife that she was right about something. "By the end of the day the whole building's going to know."

"I'm okay with that." Adrien smiled.

"Why, Adrien? We haven't been close since college? We barely spoke until a couple months ago." Marinette sighed.

"Because you confided in me. You've always been there for me before, especially with the issues I had in college. This is my way of paying it back and helping you with what you deserve in life." And the way he shrugged made it seem like he was only discussing his weekend plans.

Marinette grabbed his shoulders. "Adrien, you're an idiot. I helped you because I had a crush on you. You realize you just committed to letting everyone in our lives and probably the world know that you got me pregnant? That's a life long commitment." She hissed. "The media catches wind of this and that's going to tarnish your image. What's your father going to say about that? Sure he wants grandchildren, but I doubt he wants the company in a media frenzy."

The blonde in front her smiled and winked. "I know it's a life long commitment, but like I said Marinette- wait, did you just say you had a crush on me?" It was almost comical how fast he went from cocky to confused.

"Yes?"

"What?"

"In college and lycee I had a crush on you."

"Holy shit Alya is going to kill me." Adrien gasped.

Marinette's brow furrowed. "Why?"

"In lycee she always taunted me about knowing the person who had a crush on me and that when I realized who it was I would be begging to put a baby in them." Adrien looked stricken at the realization and Marinette let out a surprised laugh.

"Sounds like her."

"I'm so dead."

"Don't worry pretty boy, just keep blurting things out in front of people and that's sure to solve all of your problems." Marinette patted his shoulder. "Now go face the music while I finish my work for the day. Want to grab Chinese food after work and discuss how quickly news spread?"

"Sure." He said in a daze as he exited the office and nodded at Gregory who was stationed outside. Her assistant glanced into the office and she just smiled and waved at him before she pointedly disconnected her desk phone for the evening. He nodded his understanding and turned back to his desk before his phone began to ring incessantly. Marinette closed her door and returned to the design, debating on sending it back to the designer with a total rework label.


End file.
